Sie sind auf Seite 1von 6

c 

 


 

Chief of Arms, Commander of the 4621stImperial Guard Army, the Clerk

 


De Stael is a small man in stature, although his strength lies in his tactics and his intellect. He has earned
his position through experience, although he is noted as being overly-cautious, frustrating many of his
subordinates. His meticulous planning came from his extensive study of the Tactica Imperialis. However,
that is not to say he doesn͛t have an iron resolve or ruthless streak, and is utterly dedicated to The
Emperor.
 
  
Having been chosen by Lord High Commander Gustavus to become the ground commander of
the 4621st Imperial Guard Army prior to The Taros Campaign, De Stael set about drawing up a
roster of regiments needed. His initial request for 21 regiments was turned down as over
cautious and his second request of 12 regiments was rejected due to the high request for troops,
in favour of 10. This number was supported by the promise from High Magos Volta that at least
1 titan legion would be present.

th
During this period, De Stael himself suggested that the 11 Sarennian Assault Engineers were
highly valued units, especially during the expected close quarter fighting in the cities. His
planning was that the primarily Tallarn manned X Corp would be supported by the mixed units of
XI Corp, as the desert raiders could establish a beachhead through which the less acclimatised
regiments could then land safely. Once again, De Stael͛s plan was overruled by Gustavus, when
discussing how to attack the planet ʹ De Stael had suggested splitting the forces to attack
multiple targets, but Gustavus preferred the single crushing hammer blow of concentrated
forces. This became evident once again, as Gustavus countermanded those who favoured
sending in the Storm Trooper companies over the Tallarn regiments after the disabling of Missile
Silo Decima.


 c
Prior to making planetfall, after the Space Marines from the Raptors Chapter had destroyed Silo
Decima, De Stael was aboard the Righteous Fury. This enabled him to oversee the details of the
initial landing in relative safety before he could move planetside. It seemed as though the initial
landing site had been chosen correctly, as the 17th and 89th Tallarn Regiments did not encounter
enter enemy presence. However, there were still issues that needed to be solved ʹ water
supplies were an issue, and several problems with communications problems resulted in a Storm
Trooper company receiving new saddles rather than the Vox-Casters they had requested.
However, there were no military problems in two weeks, as not a shot had been fired in anger;
this resulted in the war receiving the nickname ͞The Clerks War͟.


  
After the near completion of the landing zone, with the entire X Corps fully deployed on Taros,
De Stael started looking at making an aggressive move to force the Tau to battle. The obvious
was Tarokeen, with the planets only spaceport. The initial plan was once again blocked by Lord
Commander Gustavus, who made the observation that the single assault was likely to see the
enemy͛s defences reinforced from unengaged sectors, and that a diversion would allow the main
attack to succeed.

De Stael͛s next plan to use the Raptor͛s battleforce act as a diversion to the main attack received
a severe reply from Captain Orelius, who threatened to withdraw completely, or lead the main
attack. De Stael͛s plan of action underwent its change into its third version, where the 331st
Tallarn would be called upon as the diversionary attack ʹ De Stael gave the orders himself to the
regiment͛s Commanding Officer. While the supplies and march to Tarokeen were worked out,
Logisticians estimated that it would take around three months to reach the spaceport, even
despite enemy presence. This was because De Stael also decided to go against the Tactica
Imperialis in that he spread his forces rather than form a giant hammer blow to sweep aside
enemies.

De Stael͛s advance was strong in its ideals, but its regularity was its undoing ʹ the Tau Hunter
Cadre͛s scouting units had noted potential routes of advance, and noting the positions of the
Imperial Units. The fast Tau vehicles could stay out of range of the artillery barrage, and then
th
dart in as the infantry began their advance. In particular, the 17 Tallarn regiment suffered the
worst damage at Tungusta Station, with the death of the second company͛s firstplatoon
commander and three Leman Russ Battle Tanks, and a covering artillery barrage had little effect
on the Tau, who had already withdrawn with the retreat of the Imperials. In return, the only
losses suffered by the Xenoswere two of their grav-tanks. Also, the 12thTallarn Armoured
regiment reportedly lost over half of its forward company͛s tanks in tank duels against the Tau
railguns.

De Stael͛s counter to this was the hunting down of enemy Pathfinder Teams who were able to
direct Seeker Missile strikes on the armoured vehicles. In addition, De Stael ordered the increase
in the Navy͛s air support, where the pilots now had licence to patrol and actively hunt out
targets, while yet more fighters were set up ready to scramble.

With the new tactics, the progress made was slightly quicker, but with the extending distance,
the supply convoys were not reaching the regiments on time ʹ water and fuel were essential
commodities in the desert, and delayed supplies delayed the advance even further.

The next major problem was the capture of the Phyrra Heights. The 17th Tallarn were once again
involved in heavy fighting with the Tau͛s allies, the Kroot. While the Tau excelled in long range
warfare, the Kroot favoured close quarters combat where their lack of armour and vehicles was
less of an issue, and cover enabled them to get close enough. After 11 days fighting, De Stael
decided against sending in the reserve 3rd Tallarn Armoured regiment who would only become
operate effectively in such terrain.

Instead, the 3rd Armoured were ordered to support 89th and 12th Armoured. Although the Tau
rd
claimed a further six vehicles, General Ras-Aziz of the 3 Armoured encountered the strip mine
of Giadamak, where the Tau were heavily ensconced. De Stael was again ignored by Ras-Aziz who
disagreed with the Lord Marshal͛s plan to ignore the mine. The first days attack saw the death of
over one hundred guardsmen from just the Second Company. However, the next attack saw an
Armoured Fist company make the defensive lines, where the close confines favoured the
stronger, more heavily built guardsmen had an advantage over the lighter Tau, and the aliens
withdrew using their ait transport. The fighting had cost the regiment 322 men and 11 vehicles,
in exchange for 63 captured and 68 killed.

However, the xenos were not retaliating in a conventional manner, striking against the resupply
convoys and dumps ʹ the destruction of one was so large that the Lord Marshal was woken by
the explosion, despite his office being on his command Leviathon. With the destruction of a
forward airbase, De Stael started to worry about the increasing enemy air superiority. At its
strongest, the Imperials, under the command of Air Marshal Denvelt, had 78 fighters (mainly
Thunderbolts, but also some Lightnings), 24 bombers (Marauders), and 18 Valkyries. This was up
against roughly 160 enemy aircraft, and none of his own losses had been replaced. Denvelt͛s
command was reduced to just 62 aircraft in total.

Further issues developed when the Tau fleet emerged in the Taros system ʹ in the initial surprise
of their attack, Admiral Kotto͛s ships couldn͛t reach the supply convoy containing the entire 8th
Brimlock Dragoons regiment in time, losing every man to the aliens without them having yet
taken part. Even more worrying was the loss of the transport containing much of the water for
the guardsmen planetside.

V
   

42 days after the start of the war on Taros, the Tau͛s strategy began to hit the Imperial Troops
hard with the lack of water becoming a severe issue. It was during one of the briefings with De
Stael that General Syckava, commander of the 23rd Elysian Drop Troop Regiment, proposed an
assault on a hydro-processing plant in the Aestus coast. The major target was Plant 23-30, and
capturing it intact would solve many of the water based supply issues.

After already having denied requests from the general to let his troops see action, De Stael finally
relented, and gave Syckava three days to plan and prepare for the offensive, after which, every
guardsman in his regiment would attack the plant. The days following the attack would see the
rd
23 Elysian hold onto the plant while a ground based supporting attack would reinforce the
position. This would mean that De Stael was forced to use help from his remaining fresh forces ʹ
rd th
the 3 and 12 Tallarn were considered under strength, so the relief column was decided to be
Colonel Stranski͛s 114th Cadian regiment.

The supply issues were so severe that De Stael ordered the Tallarn to hand over all but their
emergency supplies to the 114th Cadian and that they would get priority for fuel resupplies ʹ this
ended X Corps capability as an offensive force.

Much of the High Command thought that the attack would be a disaster ʹ a lack of aircraft, too
little information on the target and defences, and as the continuation of the war relied on the
successful capture of the intact processing plant, too much was reliant on chance. However,
Syckava believed that the full strength of the regiment would be enough to hold until support
arrived.
The First Attack lifted off with just under two hundred aircraft, ranging from assault carriers
carrying the 23rd Elysian and the Storm Troopers attached to the regiment, to the Gunships which
would provide the heaviest support until the heavier weapons could be dropped in. Once in the
nd
air, they were escorted by a further fifteen heavy fighters from the 1002 Fighter Wing. The
flight itself did not go without problems ʹ two aircraft were destroyed by a mid-air collision, a
further two were destroyed by seeker missiles, and another aircraft was lost due to engine
failure.

The assault itself quickly claimed lives, already with the loss of the commander of the second
company, Captain Lohgan during the flight, the third company͛s commander, Captain Malik was
eaten by Kroot, and many of the elite Storm Troopers had already been killed from the initial
firefights with Drone turrets and fire warriors.

Despite the orders to attempt to capture the plant intact, collateral damage was heavy,
especially when the Mortar support squads laid down covering fire to keep their troops alive. The
second wave the next day did not have the same luck as the first lift ʹ the Xenos aircraft had
been diverted to intercept the 23rd Elysian, and being true fighters, the Barracuda͛s outmatched
the Vulture gunships and Valkyrie carriers. Seven were shot down by the Tau, and the rest
quickly scattered, which had a knock on effect on the troops on the ground ʹ troops were not
resupplied or reinforced, fire missions were not carried out, and many were even dropped into
the toxic sea, or deep into enemy lines where they were wiped out.

Supported by Tiger Sharks and Manta͛s, the aliens bombarded the facility and Elysian positions
and the situation soon became untenable and even the regiment͛s commanding officer, General
Syckava was wounded and out of the fighting ʹColonel Balach, the regiments Second in
Command took control, and requested the scrambling of all available air support from the
Imperial Navy. The Tau apparently listened in to the communication, and sent their own air
support to destroy the imperial forces. With the air superiority firmly in their grasp, the Tau
defeated the Thunderbolts. The following day saw the aliens move in close with their own super
heavy aircraft ʹ the Manta orbital lander, which saw the near complete destruction of the
Elysians. Despite the offered surrender, Colonel Balach refused ʹ the ensuing fighting saw him
killed, and General Syckava captured. Operation comet had failed.


 
  
The support attack lead by the 114th Cadian could not help the 23rd Elysian without first getting
through the blockade formed at the natural chokepoint on the Iracunda Isthmus. With the
Tallarn armoured regiments no longer capable of attacking, the only remaining forces capable of
fighting through were battle brothers of the Raptors Space Marines, and the Titans of Legio
Ignatum.

Being outside of the Imperial Guard͛s jurisdiction, they had to be requested to act ʹ although
luckily they did. Having assembled their forces on the ground, the Imperial column with the
supporting Warhounds and Astartes began to smash its way through the forward xenos scouts
and hunter cadres. The Space Marines speed and the Titans firepower and armour formed major
early successes, but the introduction of a variant version of the xenos͛ Tiger Shark bomber,
designated the AX-1-0 destroyed the titan Advensis Primaris, and the loss of the legions High
Princeps. With the death of Jernay, and the principle mission carried out, the three surviving
Titans quit the field.

th
The Raptors also withdrew ʹ the battle was now in the hands of the 114 Cadian ʹ the Tau used
blocking actions to delay, but not stop the column, instead focusing on Operation Comet.
However, by the time the 114th Cadian reached plant 23-30, the Elysians had been destroyed and
the aliens had vacated the bombed out shell.


   
c 
With the failure of Operation Comet, the war was deemed lost ʹCommissar-General van Horcic
st
himself had taken control of the remains of the 4621 army, and the command structure was to
be replaced, including De Stael by van Horcic himself.

However, Lord High Commander Gustavus had the ever efficient Staff-Colonel Scheja as the head
of his intelligence, and had prior information of van Horcic͛s plans. He had orders sent to De Stael
which gave him the choice of becoming a prisoner to the Colonel, or death by the Commissar-
General. While not much of a choice, Gustavus felt that the Lord Marshall had served with duty
and loyalty so gave him the opportunity.

In the end, De Stael took his own life, rather than face execution, or draft to a penal legion. This
way, at least, his martial honour was kept intact.

Rather than disgrace the former commander, van Horcic sent out a transmission to all units in
the army, stating that De Stael was killed in action, having lead a successful attack against the
Tau.

The war ended with the retreat of the regiments in the field, and the planning of a final offensive
operation, codenamed ͞Deathblow͟, aimed at wiping out the Tau headquarters. However, it was
only a partial success, and cost the Imperium an Eversor assassin, Colonel Scheja, and thirty
Storm Troopers. In return, the Tau counter attack caught many straggling regiments and
companies, and the space marines of the Raptors were once again called in, this time to protect
the rear-guard. This nearly cost Captain Kaedes his life, although he would fight again as a
Dreadnought.

  

Lord High Commander Otto Ivan Gustavus
Venerated High Magos Zadakine Volta
General Wassily
Staff Colonel Nafir
Staff Colonel Mawhri
Colonel Usfal Hamid
General Ras-Aziz
Air Marshal Denvelt
General Syckava
Commissar-General van Horcic
Staff-Colonel Scheja
c

Birth ʹ Unknown
Death ʹ 998.M41

!
 
Lord Marshal De Stael was armed with a Laspistol, although this was mostly ceremonial ʹ the only
recorded use of it was when he took his own life rather than execution. However, he did take control the
war effort from a Leviathon Mobile Command Vehicle. He currently has no models or rules officially made
for him, and it͛s unlikely that there will be any due to his general non-combatant role, and with Forge
World having moved on from the Taros Campaign.

Das könnte Ihnen auch gefallen